Exploring the Beautiful Beaujolais

Marcus Leach and family exploring the Beaujolais region while staying at La Grappe Fleurie

Over the course of the past forty years I have spent many happy weeks and months travelling through France. Yet, for all of those escapades to various corners of a country that has come to feel like a second home, I had never visited the Beaujolais wine region. Which, given I am a teetotaller, is hardly surprising. 

However, with the recent addition of a new campsite to the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s European network, and our own return journey from a family jaunt down through the Alps passing within a grape’s throw of the region’s vineyards, it seemed like the perfect time to change all of that. 

We arrive into the pristine village of Fleurie, with the striking outline of Chapelle de la Madone perched on the hill above, to the sound of the church bells ringing. With the heat of the day beginning to ebb away the surrounding fields are a hive of activity as farmers tend to immaculate looking rows of vines heavy with plump bunches of grapes. I might not drink wine, but there is a great fascination in watching the local winemakers meticulously prepare for the forthcoming harvest. 

La Grappe Fleurie, our campsite for four nights, is conveniently situated within walking distance of the village and surrounded by a sea of rolling hills awash with vines. What was once a municipality campsite has been owned and continually developed by the husband and wife team of Stephan and Marie for over ten years now, the result being a small yet excellent site that has all the offerings we’ve come to expect from bigger sites, only with a personal touch that instantly makes us feel welcome. 

It’s not long before Harrison and Dorothy are off on their bikes, making the most of the swimming pools and play area, where on several evenings each week there is some form of children’s entertainment. It’s not just its younger guests that the campsite caters for, they also offer e-bike rentals and tours, guided walks to the Chapelle de la Madone, a small spa that can be privately booked, a hugely popular weekly wine tasting and a rotation of different food trucks. 

With a labyrinth of little lanes and country roads weaving their way through the surrounding vineyards the best way to explore is on two wheels, or better still in the campsite’s petite electric Méhari, a car made famous by Citroën, which can be rented for €25 per hour. That adventure would have to wait, as with the sun yet to rise I set off on a seventy kilometre route to explore the length and breadth of a region that has established itself as a mainstay of the French wine scene. 

I soon begin to see why the Beaujolais is known locally as la petite Toscane. Old stone villages emanate a soft golden morning light, the soil between the rows of vines a dusty yellow and lines of trees standing sentinel on higher ground all reminiscent of the famous Tuscan landscapes that attract tourists form the world over. Thankfully there are not the crowds here, instead a calm and peaceful air pervades over the land that surrounds me. 

Despite a lack of what I would call ‘proper mountain climbs’ there are enough rolling hills to ensure that the cycling is reasonably challenging, although never hard enough to not be enjoyable on one of the campsite’s rental e-bikes. Each hill crested reveals another sweeping landscape, vineyards tumbling back down to the Saone river plain. I’m told that on a clear day you can see the snow-capped peak of Mont Blanc, France’s most famous mountain.  

Back at the campsite and it’s time to head out as a family in the electric Méhari. With a picnic packed in the boot and Harrison and Dorothy safely strapped in at the back we set out to explore the villages and vines that are synonymous with this region. The Méhari is quite the contrast to driving our motorhome but one that gives us a feeling of being connected to the landscape, what with being much lower down and the sides of the vehicle being open. 

It seemed appropriate, given where we were, to stop in Beaujeu, the historical mediaeval capital that lends its name to the region. At the centre of the village you will find La Maison du Terroir Beaujolais, a house that dates back to the fourteenth century, showcasing fantastic architecture with its half-timber construction and Renaissance inner courtyard. It also has an exhibition space with a series of rooms with audiovisual displays that highlight the wine, food and culture of the Beaujolais.

Over the course of our four days at La Grappe Fleurie we quickly come to realise that you don’t have to be an oenophile to appreciate this gem of a region. Beguiling golden villages, rolling vineyards, mediaeval churches, charming chateaus and scenic country roads combine with an unhurried pace to life to create something of a rural paradise. Whether you drink wine or not, a visit to La Grappe Fleurie to discover the Beaujolais should be a part of everyone’s 2025 holiday plans. 

To find out more about La Grappe Fleurie click here.